Finger Lake Camping

We never got around to going camping last summer, so at the top of my summer bucket list this year was camping. I was looking forward to it more this year than I was last year (clearly, since we actually went :) since the kids are at nice ages for it.

We have SO many state parks within an hour or two of us. I have this burning desire to visit them all, knowing that that probably won't happen since there really are SO many. But it's fun to check out a new one when we get the chance. 

We decided to camp at Keuka Lake State park and visit our fourth of the 11 finger lakes. We got in around 4 p.m. on Friday and wanted to get down to the water to play before the swimming area closed at 6, so we decided to do that before going to set up our camp site.

Sadly, it was a chillier, rainy day, so not the best water day.

 

 Belén didn't seem to mind the frigid water, for a few minutes at a time at least.

 Shae was content to play in the sand the whole time.

 After playing at the beach and the playground we made our way to our camp site and set up our tent and got a fire going for hot dogs and smores. The kids were very excited to help put up the tent.

 

 He was pretty happy to help me build the fire while daddy finished up with the tent and Belén played "house" with the tent. She was hilarious, pretending it was her own little house, setting up the beds and calling us all her children. Quite the little mommy that one.

It was so lovely to be out in nature, with no cell service or anywhere to even charge our phones. We played a ton of games, coming in and out of the tent due to the on and off rain, and did a little talent show after it started to get dark when we pulled out the glow sticks. It's pathetic to say, but I sure loved feeling so present--all of us--for hours on end.

There was light rain throughout the night, which was actually really nice. I have a terrible time sleeping in silence, so the rain was the perfect white noise. The kids slept so much better this trip than when we went camping two years ago. It took a bit for them to settle down and fall asleep, but once they did they were out. Belén did end up kicking me out of my sleeping bag at some point in the early morning, so I left and crawled in to her little princess sleeping bag next to Shae. Shae woke up semi-early (6:30 or so), so we cuddled and read our chapter book (The Heartwood Hotel) while the other two snoozed. We finally decided to get out and walk around after they just kept sleeping. Walking around just me and him with his little hand in mine, commenting on all the different tents, that early misty morning is one of those moments I don't ever want to forget.

After our walk, Shae and I started another fire with some of our leftover wood and sat outside waiting for the other guys to wake up. Then it started to rain on us, so we went back in the tent. It didn't rain long and we were able to pack up and then go out on a nature trail through the woods. It ended up being longer than either of us anticipated so there may have been some complaining from the little ones throughout, but after we full on got in imagination mode they hiked like champs. Fighting off tree stump trolls, slaying gigantic hanging vine snakes, tackling leafy goblins, saving us from the flowers that turned us to statue, and looking for the magical fairy homes hidden throughout the woods. 

After the hike, the kids reeeeeealy wanted to play at the beach one more time. It was quite a bit colder, but we tried. Needless to stay, we didn't stay long.

Even with the little chill and rain, our camping trip was a smashing success. It definitely helped remind me of the beauty in the world around me, and especially the world closest to me--my family.